My chat with the bike dude at the Frigid Creme
While in Ness, the girls and I were happy to find The Frigid Creme operating under its summer hours, though for some reason the girls took issue with the fact that the hamburger bun on the big outdoor sign was painted green, when this had never bothered them before.
The girls got cyclones ---ice cream mixed up with broken bits of candy bars, and I got my usual hot fudge sundae, which is not only delicious, but also challenging. Maintaining the right ratio of hot fudge to ice cream requires attention and skill.
As we sat on a bench and ate the ice cream, our curiosity was piqued by the two bicycle riders hanging out in the parking lot. Their bikes were loaded with gear, so we knew here were more of those rogue bikers who were not doing the official BAK, but were going it alone.
One of the bikers was extra friendly and asked us if we were just passing through. Maybe he'd heard Annabelle questioning the green paint on the hamburger bun, something a local wasn't likely to do. After explaining that I had grown up there, and was visiting my mom, the biker told me he and his buddy were on their way to Denver, where his little sister lived. They had struck out from Jacksonville, Florida more than 30 days ago. Of course I had to point out that from here to Denver it was a steady incline. The biker, whose name was Colin, said he's a lot stronger now than when he started, so he was ready for it. They were going to ride to Pueblo, and Colorado Springs, and then go north to Denver from there. I envied them for that much, but didn't envy their mode of conveyance.
Colin said their hardest ride so far had been in Missouri, going through the Ozarks. From Jacksonville they had crossed over to Pensacola, and then gone up to Mobile, and north from there.
During our conversation, one of the women working at the Frigid Creme came out and spoke to the biker, and he said, "Oh, I thought you were just going to whip something up for us." No, it turned out he had to order what he wanted. The woman went back inside the Frigid Creme. Though I didn't ask about the exchange, Colin explained to me that when they told the woman about their trip, she had offered them a free meal. I observed that they must have to eat a lot of food to keep their energy up. "Oh yes," he said. "It takes a LOT. But I've actually gained weight."
The girls got cyclones ---ice cream mixed up with broken bits of candy bars, and I got my usual hot fudge sundae, which is not only delicious, but also challenging. Maintaining the right ratio of hot fudge to ice cream requires attention and skill.
As we sat on a bench and ate the ice cream, our curiosity was piqued by the two bicycle riders hanging out in the parking lot. Their bikes were loaded with gear, so we knew here were more of those rogue bikers who were not doing the official BAK, but were going it alone.
One of the bikers was extra friendly and asked us if we were just passing through. Maybe he'd heard Annabelle questioning the green paint on the hamburger bun, something a local wasn't likely to do. After explaining that I had grown up there, and was visiting my mom, the biker told me he and his buddy were on their way to Denver, where his little sister lived. They had struck out from Jacksonville, Florida more than 30 days ago. Of course I had to point out that from here to Denver it was a steady incline. The biker, whose name was Colin, said he's a lot stronger now than when he started, so he was ready for it. They were going to ride to Pueblo, and Colorado Springs, and then go north to Denver from there. I envied them for that much, but didn't envy their mode of conveyance.
Colin said their hardest ride so far had been in Missouri, going through the Ozarks. From Jacksonville they had crossed over to Pensacola, and then gone up to Mobile, and north from there.
During our conversation, one of the women working at the Frigid Creme came out and spoke to the biker, and he said, "Oh, I thought you were just going to whip something up for us." No, it turned out he had to order what he wanted. The woman went back inside the Frigid Creme. Though I didn't ask about the exchange, Colin explained to me that when they told the woman about their trip, she had offered them a free meal. I observed that they must have to eat a lot of food to keep their energy up. "Oh yes," he said. "It takes a LOT. But I've actually gained weight."
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cyclists...i will never understand them. but then, i don't understand runners, or mountain climbers either. perhaps you and the girls looked way too cosmopolitan to be native ness citians. and what kind of jobs do these two have that they can just take 2 or 3 months off to bike their way to denver??!! but..interesting chat, for sure. ness city IS a crossroads, i tell ya!
ReplyDeletep.s...it's all uphill from jax.
ReplyDeleteHey! Back off on the runners and mountain climbers.
ReplyDelete(bikers...fair game)
i said nothing deragatory about runners or mtn. climbers, HB. i only said i didn't understand them. help me to understand them, swami.
ReplyDeleteIf I understood it, I would probably stop doing it.
ReplyDelete